1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to automatic knitting machinery and has particular application to home knitting machines which can be programmed to produce prescribed patterns on a fabric.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automated home knitting machines are now well known and are exemplified by the machines of the following Patents and applications:
U.s. pat. No. 3,885,405 -- issued May 27, 1975 PA1 French Pat. No. 2,212,830 -- Reg. July 23, 1972 PA1 Japanese application No. 85853, laid open Nov. 13, 1973
A desirable way of programming a home knitting machine to produce a design configuration is for an operator to mark out the design on a program card and have the card read into a memory from which signals may be extracted to control the operation of needle selecting means on the carriage of the machine. Error free knitting is possible only when the card has been accurately read and it is therefore essential that instruction marks be accurately discriminated from smudges when a card is read, that every instruction mark on the card be noted, and that the reading operation otherwise be performed reliably, or in the event of error in the reading of a card that the operator be informed so that corrective action may be taken.